There are known methods of securing tubular members together in a subsea or hostile remote environment. Existing methods include those described in granted United Kingdom Patent Publication Nos 2185847B ‘Interfitting Tubular Members’ and 2404092B and 2468368B ‘Improvements in and Relating to Clamping Arrangements’. See also International patent applications published as WO2009/027694 and WO2010/100473. These known methods utilise a single pad to exert a clamping load between the inner and outer tubular member and thereby generate frictional resistance that are able to transfer structure loads safely from one to another. The subjects described here involve features used in an alternative connector locking arrangement and the tool associated with the load application.
The method of locking is an important consideration as this is used to ensure the clamping load is both reliable and ideally releasable throughout the lifetime of the connector. The methods are suitable for a range of conditions and loads and also suitable for both manual or diver operation and also for operations using Remotely Operated Vehicles or ROVs. Due to the costly nature of subsea operations there is advantage in using an operation that is simple, quick and ideally releasable. The ability to release the connection is of particular value as should the subsea structure or equipment require maintenance or replacement then release of the connection would allow recovery of the element and later reinstatement. The connectors are permanent feature that are mounted on the surface of the outer tubular and therefore need to be of a suitable profile to minimise the potential for snagging of wires and or controls or life support umbilicals used during installation or maintenance of the structure by both divers and ROVs.